Metal spike



J. H. WYGANT.

SPIKE.

Patented May 22 1855.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HENRY WYGANT, OF HACKENSAOK, NEW JERSEY.

METAL SPIKE, 8w.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 12,931, dated May 22, 1855.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN HENRY VVYGANT, of Hackensack, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Metal Spikes, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1, is a sectional view showing a spike made after my invention, employed for securing two pieces of timber together. Fig. 2, is also a similar sectional view, illustrating the manner in which the spike is locked in its place after being driven home.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

My improvement relates particularly to metal spikes and is designed to render them capable of being firmly locked in their places when employed under circumstances which do not admit of their ends being exposed or of access being had thereto in order to clench them after being driven home.

The'nature of said improvement consists in providing the spike with an inclined or bevel off set on one of its sides and employing in connection with the same a light metal bar or looking piece having its lower end pointed or flattened, said ofi set serving just a moment before the bar or looking piece is driven entirely home, to bend or curl its end and thereby cause it to take a lateral instead of a vertical direction, and consequently to take a firm hold in the wood, and owing to the .oifset being on the spike, lock the spike firmly in its place and prevent all possibility of its getting out.

To enable'others to clearly understand my invention I will proceed to describe it more minutely.

A, in the accompanying drawing represents the spike made with a suitable head and having its end flattened as usual.

' B, is the offset formed on one side of the spike as shown. This 'fiset may be situated at any point thought advisable and is made bevel or inclined, so as to give proper direction to the bar or locking piece.

C is the bar or looking piece, it resembles an ordinary spike, excepting being made much lighter.

D, D, represent two pieces of timber, they gehown secured together by the spike, A,

Spikes made and employed in the manner shown answer most admirably for holding down railroad chairs, and also securing heavy timbers together, as it is impossible for the chairs to get loose or of the timbers separating after being once secured.

This improvement as may be evident can also be applied with advantage to staples, hooks, and all other supporting and securing devices, requiring to be driven into objects in order to secure permanent holds.

To secure two objects together after the manner illustrated, the spike A, is first driven home as shown in the drawing, the bar or looking piece which is placed so as to touch the ofli'set side of the spike is next driven in and in its passage comes in contact with the offset, as shown in red, and has its end bent or curled thereby nearly at right angles to the spike and consequently caused to take a firm hold in the wood as shown in black in Fig. 1. By thus bending the piece C, all possibility of the parts separating is avoided and owing to the offset being on the spike and the piece 0, bearing snugly against the side of.the spike and standing over or resting against the offset, the spike is prevented from having the least play and therefore has no chance to get out of its place, as will be evident from the drawing.

That I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

Providing a spike A, with abevel or inclined offset on one of its sides and employing in connection with the same a light metal bar or looking piece C, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

JOHN HENRY WYGANT.

Witnesses:

JOHN N. AoKERMAN, JAMES VOORHIS. 

